Interesting and crazy busy weekend!
I baptized Tate on Saturday! He did such a good job as did Jessica with all of the preparations and parties, etc. ! I, on the other hand, got all flustered and couldn't seem to do anything right. I realized that I really missed my Dad right at those moments, and even said that. Our Bishop is really nice and helped me out, but I needed my Dad right then.
Rosemary came from St. Louis and brought baby Daniel and Jay (7).
Amy came from Utah and brought baby Griffin and Gavin (5).
My Mom came from Utah and brought Grandma (97).
Mark was supposed to come from Virginia with his 3 kids, but something happened on the drive and he ended up in Ohio...? I don't know how - he said that the borrowed GPS had been set to avoid traffic, tolls and something else. He said it was going to take him way out West and up into Canada and then back down. I don't know. He called us around 6am and said he wasn't going to make it, and was going back home.
Becky came from Utah and was with us, which was nice!
All in all it was a good day. Very busy ! I was picking up some sandwich trays at 7:45am then to the church at about 8:15 to fill the font and set up the chairs in the Relief Society room and tables and chairs for the Brunch after the meeting. Got everything done on time for a 10am start (on Mormon standard time).
Forgot to ask witnesses, ran out of the dressing room to talk to Bob and the Bishop (he was already taking care of it). Messed up the prayer but the Bishop got me straight on that. Lost our towel, but found it. Forgot dry underwear for Tate, but he was OK without any for a short time. With a little coaching I got through the Confirmation OK.
Party was nice. Hung out for a few hours then headed to Pump It Up for his birthday party. There weren't many of his friends there, I'm really glad his cousins were there. I don't think he noticed!
My 97 year-old Grandma was supposed to drive home with Mark to stay for a few days and then Mark's wife and kids were going to fly with her home to Utah, I think they already had a visit scheduled. When Mark didn't make it we started to figure out what Grandma should do? Fly home with Mom? Fly to Virginia? There are non-stops pretty frequently from PVD to Baltimore. She got kind of nervous and decided she would just go home with Mom. We told her we could probably make arrangements to walk her to the gate and Mark wouldn't have trouble getting to the gate to pick her up. Or someone, namely me, would fly with her and just come right back. She wasn't comfortable. She thought about it and realized that the Virginian's were upset to have missed seeing her, so she relented. So we booked her a one-way on Southwest and me a quick roundtrip. We left at about the same time on Sunday afternoon as everyone else, and I turned right around and came back.
Sunday morning Tate, Avery Grandma, Mom and I headed to church for Sacrament meeting. Tate got to sit up on the Stand with the Bishop as the newest member of the Ward, and he wanted to do that. Nice Jessica made a Sunday dinner, while being told she was doing it wrong? Once we got back from church we ate and then it was pretty much time to head to the airport.
I parked my car and then ran up to where the rental car buses drop them off, I caught them getting off and helped with Roz's luggage and baby. Amy and Mom were getting off on the next stop for a different airline. They didn't realize it was like 50 yards. Once we got Roz and Grandma inside I said, um where is Grandma's bag? Oops, it didn't get off with her. I ran to the next stop where they were just getting off and my Mom had realized and handed me the bag and I ran off. They had an extra hour, Roz, Grandma and I were pushing it a little for time Luckily the airport wasn't busy at all.
Grandma and I got through security and were sitting down getting our shoes on, when Roz and crew came through so I held Daniel while she got her stuff all situated then we headed in different directions. Funny enough, we ran into Becky on our way to our gate.
Uneventful flight, got out of security and easily found Mark and Abi, was able to sit and talk with them for a few minutes. Abi, is so very funny! She is 3 years old or so, is very shy at first, but an hour later will talk your ear off non-stop. She was hiding from me, but I gave her a goodbye kiss anyway. Mark thanked me for bailing him out.
I think we all realized that Grandma really won't be around much longer. She is talking about death more and more. It is obvious that she has had at least one smaller stroke. Probably more than that. She slurs her words and her face even looks a little limp on one side. She is 97 1/2. Still lives on her own and has her own teeth mostly! She is and has been amazing.
She and I were sitting talking on Saturday for a few minutes: one of the babies was asleep and everyone else had headed on a walk/ shopping trip. She said that she just was ready to go home. I said that I understood, but that if she changed her mind... She said that she was leaving many behind here, but had many over there to welcome her. I realized she wasn't talking about flying to Utah anymore. She can't hear very well anymore, and is very self-conscious of her (newly impaired) speech. It was amazing how well she can still play the piano though! She played pre- and post lude and for the hymns at the Baptism. She does all of it without any music! She is, and always has been, amazing.
It will be sad to see her go, but she is tired. She is lonely. You know she has lived a long, good life. My mom will be very upset, but I think even she recognizes that Grandma is just tired. She has outlived her son-in-law, her beloved younger siblings... All of her friends!
I don't think I will see her alive again.
A good weekend, beside that! Thanks to all.
Rosemary came from St. Louis and brought baby Daniel and Jay (7).
Amy came from Utah and brought baby Griffin and Gavin (5).
My Mom came from Utah and brought Grandma (97).
Mark was supposed to come from Virginia with his 3 kids, but something happened on the drive and he ended up in Ohio...? I don't know how - he said that the borrowed GPS had been set to avoid traffic, tolls and something else. He said it was going to take him way out West and up into Canada and then back down. I don't know. He called us around 6am and said he wasn't going to make it, and was going back home.
Becky came from Utah and was with us, which was nice!
All in all it was a good day. Very busy ! I was picking up some sandwich trays at 7:45am then to the church at about 8:15 to fill the font and set up the chairs in the Relief Society room and tables and chairs for the Brunch after the meeting. Got everything done on time for a 10am start (on Mormon standard time).
Forgot to ask witnesses, ran out of the dressing room to talk to Bob and the Bishop (he was already taking care of it). Messed up the prayer but the Bishop got me straight on that. Lost our towel, but found it. Forgot dry underwear for Tate, but he was OK without any for a short time. With a little coaching I got through the Confirmation OK.
Party was nice. Hung out for a few hours then headed to Pump It Up for his birthday party. There weren't many of his friends there, I'm really glad his cousins were there. I don't think he noticed!
My 97 year-old Grandma was supposed to drive home with Mark to stay for a few days and then Mark's wife and kids were going to fly with her home to Utah, I think they already had a visit scheduled. When Mark didn't make it we started to figure out what Grandma should do? Fly home with Mom? Fly to Virginia? There are non-stops pretty frequently from PVD to Baltimore. She got kind of nervous and decided she would just go home with Mom. We told her we could probably make arrangements to walk her to the gate and Mark wouldn't have trouble getting to the gate to pick her up. Or someone, namely me, would fly with her and just come right back. She wasn't comfortable. She thought about it and realized that the Virginian's were upset to have missed seeing her, so she relented. So we booked her a one-way on Southwest and me a quick roundtrip. We left at about the same time on Sunday afternoon as everyone else, and I turned right around and came back.
Sunday morning Tate, Avery Grandma, Mom and I headed to church for Sacrament meeting. Tate got to sit up on the Stand with the Bishop as the newest member of the Ward, and he wanted to do that. Nice Jessica made a Sunday dinner, while being told she was doing it wrong? Once we got back from church we ate and then it was pretty much time to head to the airport.
I parked my car and then ran up to where the rental car buses drop them off, I caught them getting off and helped with Roz's luggage and baby. Amy and Mom were getting off on the next stop for a different airline. They didn't realize it was like 50 yards. Once we got Roz and Grandma inside I said, um where is Grandma's bag? Oops, it didn't get off with her. I ran to the next stop where they were just getting off and my Mom had realized and handed me the bag and I ran off. They had an extra hour, Roz, Grandma and I were pushing it a little for time Luckily the airport wasn't busy at all.
Grandma and I got through security and were sitting down getting our shoes on, when Roz and crew came through so I held Daniel while she got her stuff all situated then we headed in different directions. Funny enough, we ran into Becky on our way to our gate.
Uneventful flight, got out of security and easily found Mark and Abi, was able to sit and talk with them for a few minutes. Abi, is so very funny! She is 3 years old or so, is very shy at first, but an hour later will talk your ear off non-stop. She was hiding from me, but I gave her a goodbye kiss anyway. Mark thanked me for bailing him out.
I think we all realized that Grandma really won't be around much longer. She is talking about death more and more. It is obvious that she has had at least one smaller stroke. Probably more than that. She slurs her words and her face even looks a little limp on one side. She is 97 1/2. Still lives on her own and has her own teeth mostly! She is and has been amazing.
She and I were sitting talking on Saturday for a few minutes: one of the babies was asleep and everyone else had headed on a walk/ shopping trip. She said that she just was ready to go home. I said that I understood, but that if she changed her mind... She said that she was leaving many behind here, but had many over there to welcome her. I realized she wasn't talking about flying to Utah anymore. She can't hear very well anymore, and is very self-conscious of her (newly impaired) speech. It was amazing how well she can still play the piano though! She played pre- and post lude and for the hymns at the Baptism. She does all of it without any music! She is, and always has been, amazing.
It will be sad to see her go, but she is tired. She is lonely. You know she has lived a long, good life. My mom will be very upset, but I think even she recognizes that Grandma is just tired. She has outlived her son-in-law, her beloved younger siblings... All of her friends!
I don't think I will see her alive again.
A good weekend, beside that! Thanks to all.